Overview of System Development Charges

Presented to the Ad Hoc Committee on Large Diameter Water Mains by Chris Cullinan, Acting CFO

January 8, 2014

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Presentation Outline

• SDC Basics • Past• Present • Future

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SDC Basics

• Title 25 of Public Utilities Article, Subtitles 401-405.

• “Growth pays for growth”.

– The SDC charge is levied to new applicants for new or expanded WSSC service.

• A first time connection of a property to the WSSC water or sewer system

• A new connection or increased water meter size for a property previously or currently served by the WSSC

– SDC’s are a dedicated stream of revenues used to accommodate increased system demand from new development by funding capacity improvements (would otherwise be funded by existing ratepayers).

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SDC Basics (cont.)

• SDC funds can only be used to pay for new treatment, transmissions and collection (storage) facilities which were constructed after July 1, 1993, or to amortize any bond that is issued in connection with these new facilities.

• SDC funds cannot be used for enhancements, maintenance, or environmental regulation on existing or new system (these costs are borne equally by all ratepayers).

• Per state law, SDC revenues are accounted for separately, apart from rate revenues.

• Commission required to issue annual SDC report.

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SDC Basics (cont.)

• Calculation methodologies – 3 generally accepted approaches; SDC’s incorporate 2.

– Buy-in Methodology - existing facilities whose capacity was oversized in anticipation of new development (including any borrowing costs)

– Plan-based Methodology – planned projects from the Commission’s Adopted CIP which provide additional capacity to serve new development

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SDC Basics (cont.)

• Full or partial exemptions by County Councils for:

– Affordable housing

– Revitalization projects

– Residential property located in a mixed retirement development defined in the zoning ordinance of Prince George’s County

– Residential property located in a planned retirement community as defined in the zoning ordinance of Montgomery County

– Elderly housing other than that included in the above two circumstances

– Properties used for manufacturing or biotechnology research and development

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SDC Basics (cont.)

• Credits against SDC for developers who construct a major project in the Commission’s CIP or includes a water or sewer main that:

– Provides only local service

– Is 2,000 feet or less

– Has a diameter of 15 inches or more for a sewer main or 16 inches or more for a water main, and

– Is built to avoid unnecessary and uneconomical duplication when a major project in constructed

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SDC Basics (cont.)

• Rates are set annually by County Councils as part of approving WSSC’s budget.

• The State law sets maximum SDC charges, but allows the counties to raise the maximum each year in an amount equal to the rate of inflation. 

• The maximum charge has been increased each year since 1999 without changing the actual rates charged.  

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SDC Basics (cont.)

• Current SDC schedule:

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Past

• Enabling authority - the Maryland General Assembly enacted House Bill 883, Chapter 559, Laws of Maryland 1993, System Development Charge legislation during its 1993 Session.

• Commission adopted maximum rate of $160 per fixture unit in 1995 (currently $203 per fixture).

• Actual SDC rates assessed to new development were last increased in 1998.

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Past (cont.)

• $588 million collected over last 20 years.

SDC Collections FY94 - FY13 ($1,000's of dollars)

$0

$5,000

$10,000

$15,000

$20,000

$25,000

$30,000

$35,000

$40,000

$45,000

FY94FY95

FY96FY97

FY98FY99

FY00FY01

FY02FY03

FY04FY05

FY06FY07

FY08FY09

FY10FY11

FY12FY13

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Past (cont.)

• Examples of past projects funded with SDC’s:

Bi-County Water Tunnel (to date) $114,906,117Blue Plains WWTP: Liquid Train Projects, Part 2 $40,482,680Seneca Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion $40,396,336Potomac WFP Improvements $39,463,77296 Inch PCCP Water Main Rehabilitation, Parts 1,2,3 $27,275,775Seneca WWTP Expansion, Part 2 (to date) $20,006,866Seneca Creek WWTP Upgrade $17,333,490Broad Creek WWPS Augmentation (to date) $16,876,819Blue Plains WWTP: Biosolids Management, Part 2 $16,864,568Crystal Rock Wastewater Pumping Station $14,425,231Blue Plains WWTP: Plant Wide Projects $14,164,957

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Present

• SDC fund balance at the end of FY’13 was $42.5 million.

• Unused County exemptions totalled:– Montgomery County = $4.6 million– Prince George’s County = $2.1 million

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Present (cont.)

• In FY’14, SDC’s are expected to fund approximately $90 million (12%) of Approved Capital Budget.

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Future

• In the Proposed FY’15 – FY’20 CIP, SDC’s are projected to fund $264 million (16%) of six year CIP.

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Future (cont.)

• SDC revenues are rebounding as economy improves.

• Projected SDC fund deficit is lower than has been projected in the past as a result of increased revenues and timing of large projects.

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Future (cont.)

• Major, future projects to be funded with SDC’s include:

Broad Creek WWPS Augmentation $127,345,181Bi-County Water Tunnel $30,893,883Branch Avenue Water Transmission Improvements $30,091,000Water Transmission Improvements 385 Pressure Zone $26,075,136Seneca WWTP Expansion, Part 2 $8,977,134

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Questions?